More than Just Parchment
by Scooterbug8515
Summary: This is how the twins found the map and figured out how to use it. In answer to a challenge. COMPLETED
1. Wee little Weasleys

First years Fred and George stood in the middle of the corridor with Cheshire cat grins on their faces. They were bound to succeed this time. For the past first three week of school the two had purposely attempted to be taken to Filch's office.

"Double detention for a chance to look into Filch's Highly Dangerous file. I say that a fair trade," remarked Fred.

"You got the smoke bombs?" asked George.

Fred never got the chance to answer for Filch came shouting, "What have you two miscreants done now?"

Peeves followed close behind Filch chanting, "Wee little Weasleys gotten into trouble! Wee little Weasleys gotten into trouble!"

"Get out here you pest!" yelled Filch waving his arms at the poltergeist.

Peeves continued to chant dodging Filch's flaying arms until he remarked, "Too bad Peevsey didn't think of it first." Peeves observed the Weasley twin's artwork that now decorated the wall.

Fred and George ended o decorating the wall with a large painting of Filch hanging by his toe nails begging for mercy. Filch observed this magical painting as Peeves zoomed off continuing his chant of, "Wee little Weasleys gotten into trouble!"

"That is it!" cried out Filch. "You two are in for it now! To my office both of you!"

Fred and George exchanged victorious knowing looks and followed Filch to his office. It was fortunate for the twins that Peeves caught them, otherwise Filch wouldn't be nearly as inclined to send them to his office.

Peeves had flown by while the twins were working on there are work. Peeves would have continued to fly by happy to ignore the mural if Fred hadn't thrown a little hex up his way. Peeves instantly started yelling, "It wasn't me! It wasn't me!" and zoomed off to get back at the twins. It was the sure fire way to get in trouble and arrive in Filch's office; having Peeves egg him on.

"Sit down you two," snapped Filch pointing to the two chairs in front of his desk.

The office wasn't much there was room enough for just two chairs in front of the desk, the desk itself, a chair which Filch had seated himself in and a filing cabinet. The bottom drawer of the cabinet was labeled 'Highly Dangerous' in emblazoned gold letters.

The twins hungrily eyed the bottom drawer. As Filch bent over to open a desk drawer and pull out some detention slips, George gave Fred a knowing look. Instantly Fred let loose the smoke bombs which were nothing more than a dung bomb which the twins just happened to modify. The dung bombs sent up a smoke followed quickly by the classic dung bomb smell.

George took the opportunity of the smoke cover to slip out of his chair and crawl to Filch's cabinet and open the drawer that was labeled 'Highly Dangerous'. George blindly grabbed a few items out of the drawer stuffed them into his pockets and quickly made his way back to his seat before the smoke lifted.

Filch sputtered and raged the moment the smoke filled and room. He continued to do so as the smoke lifted, "Those to miscreants! Wait till I got my hands on them! It will be triple detention for them!"

Filch stopped his ranting the moment his eyes fell upon the two red heads who were sitting in their seats in front of his desk.

"What are you two doing here?" demanded Filch squinting thought the haze trying to be sure he was seeing things properly.

"I thought you brought us here to receive detention," answered Fred.

"If we aren't supposed to be here we can go," added George.

"Nice try," scoffed Filch, "You two aren't getting out of detention that easy. You will have double detention. I expect to see you two tomorrow night next to the trophy case. I'll inform you two of your second detention later by owl post. Now get out of my office before you cause any more trouble."

The twins quickly left Filch's office and congratulated themselves on a well-earned victory. Once the twins were up to their common room George emptied his pockets to reveal his stolen goods. George managed to nick an expired love potion, which neither of the twins had any interest in, a fanged Frisbee, which would have been mildly interesting if it weren't for the fact that it had no juice to be played with. The last item was a folded piece of parchment. The twins quickly unfolded the parchment to find it blank.

"Wonderful load of stuff you stole," grumbled Fred.

"You try nicking stuff when all you can see is smoke," came back George re-stuffing his pockets.

"Looks like those detentions will be for nothing," sighed Fred knowing his brother was right.


	2. Sibling Rivalries

In the morning, after stealing from Filch's office George woke up to his brother Fred staring down at him. George groaned as he tried to roll over and go back to sleep, his twin wan not the first thing he wanted to see when he woke up.

"No you don't!" exclaimed Fred grabbing his brother keeping George from rolling over.

"You had to interrupt a good dream with your ugly face," complained George.

"You are wearing the same face," countered Fred.

"That's where you're wrong," objected George, "You see, I'm the good looking twin and you're not."

"You stupid git! We're identical!" cried Fred.

"Just ask he'll tell you that I'm the better looking one."

"You're both ugly," mumbled Lee into his pillow before he could be asked anything.

"Yeah?" came back George sitting up. "Well, you're just a booger!"

Lee raised a hand in a wave of 'thanks' for he had no desire or energy to give an answer.

"So why were you sitting over me this morning?" asked George tuning from Lee.

"I don't know," shrugged Fred. "Just thought I'd annoy the crap out of you."

"Well, it worked," answered George sliding back down into his bed wishing he thought of doing it to Fred first.

"You can't go back to sleep now!" objected Fred.

"And why not?"

"We have a castle to explore and pranks to pull."

"Fine," agreed George, "You coming with Lee?"

Lee gave out a grunt and pulled his covers over his head.

"I'll take that as a no," remarked George getting out of his bed.

It did not take long for the twins to get dressed and head for breakfast.

"So what's on the agenda little brother?" asked George as the two took a seat at the Gryffindor table.

"Little brother?" demanded Fred.

"Well, I am older," shrugged George. "So that makes you my little brother."

"Older by what? A minute and a half?"

"Ah, the simplicities of sibling rivalry," bemused Dumbeldore as he passed by Fred and George.

"Is it just me or is Dumeldore really off his rocker?" asked Fred in a hushed tone once Dumbeldore was out of earshot.

"Normally, I would say it's you," answered George, "but Dumbeldore's off his rocker."

"Just checking."

George nodded and then asked, "So what is first on the agenda?"

"How about we try to sneak into Hogsmeade?"

"I've always wanted to go," remarked George, "Out dung bomb supply is running low."

"That's why I thought it would be a good idea."

"We should pick up some revealing ink as well," added George.

"And why is that?" demanded Fred.

"I've been thinking about that bit of parchment we nicked from Filches office."

"Not that blasted thing!"

"Yes that 'blasted thing' why would Filch have it in his drawer if it is nothing more than a blank bit of parchment?"

"Never thought of that," admitted Fred.

"That's why I'm the smart one."

"So you're the smart one and the good looking one?" demanded Fred.

"You said it," grinned George.


	3. Intrigue in Insult

"Foiled by Filch!" cried Fred in an outrage.

"You'd think McGonagall would have supported us since we are in her house," remarked George.

"You want to know the worst part?" demanded Fred before he continued without an answer. That git Percy wouldn't even make the purchases for us!"

"There has got to be of finding what the stupid parchment is about," reasoned George pulling it out.

"Here let me see it," ordered Fred taking if tom George. Fred duly pulled out his wand touched it to the parchment and said, "Reveal yourself."

Fred and George stared at the parchment as nothing happened. Then slowly out of nowhere came a tidy scrawl that said:

_Mr. Padfoot would like to congratulate Mr. Fred Weasley for being a dunderhead._

_Mr. Prongs would like to add that Fred Weasley is a pain to look at as well._

"It's insulting you!" laughed George.

The parchment continued:

Mr. Mooney suggests that Mr. Fred Weasley stick his want up his rear and leave it there 

George began to burst out in laughter as the parchment finished its message with:

Mr. Wormtail whole heartedly agrees with his associates 

Fred's mouth hung open like a codfish's as he stared at the parchment in surprise. Being insulted was the last thing he expected. After a few minutes of shock he began to see the humor in the situation and laughed.

"Here George, you try it let's see what it says to you," offered Fred.

George then pulled out his wand and said, "Insult me."

The original message had long disappeared and new message began to surface.

Mr. Wormtail asks why someone would be so dense as to request to be insulted 

_Mr. Mooney agrees and suggests that Mr. George Weasley is one wand short of a spell_

_Mr. Prongs gladly obliges to George Weasley's request by saying that George is denser than his brother and probably already has his wand stuck up his butt._

_Mr. Padfood is appalled by the concept that there are Weasleys of such similarity and wonders how the Weasley parents could endure to have such ugly and moronic children._

"I love this thing!" laughed Fred.

"I can see why Filch kept it locked up," agreed George with a smile.

"Should we show it to Lee?" asked Fred, tears in his eyes from laughter.

"Not yet, O want to see what else it does," answered George before giving the command, "Do something aside from insulting."

The old message disappeared and a new one surfaced:

Mr. Wormtail asks what on earth would make us stop insulting you? 

_Mr. Mooney requests that Mr. George Weasley not answer the question Mr. Wormtail poses; for fear that the answer would lower our IQ_

_Mr. Prongs asks what would you have us do you dingbat?_

_Mr. Padfoot also asks would you like us to do something like this you hornklump?_

The message quickly disappeared and at the top of the parchment appeared the words:

Messrs Mooney, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs are proud to present 

"Present what?" asked Fred placing his wand on the parchment.

The parchment came back to life with a single reply:

That is for us to know and you to find out 

Before the twins could ask any more of the map Lee Jordan called from across the practically empty entrance hall. George then pocketed the parchment as he and Fred joined Lee.


	4. Bathrooms and Potions

(A/N: Thank you so much for the wonderful reviews! I am glad that everyone is enjoying my fic.)

Fred and George sat at breakfast absolutely miserable. They had just spent the night prior polishing and cleaning the trophy case. It wasn't easy or fun work. The twins could barely keep their eyes open when an owl came sweeping down to them. It was obvious that it was school owl. It impatiently stuck its leg out for its message to be retrieved. Fred was the only one of the two who could muster up enough energy to reach out and take the note. Once the owl's leg was free of the note it gave out an indignant hoot and flew off.

"What is it?" asked George.

"A note from Filch," grimaced Fred.

George groaned and banged his head on the table as Fred read the note aloud.

To Fred and George Weasley 

_You will be serving the second part of your detention tonight._

_ I expect to see you in front of my office by 8:00 pm Sharp._

_ Argus Filch_

"I wonder what he'll have us do tonight?" pondered George.

"It can't be worse than last night," assured Fred.

As Fred and George stood in front of the first floor bathroom glove on and cleaning buckets in hand, Fred said, "Okay, I take back what I said this morning, this is definitely worse than last night!"

"You can say that again," agreed George as he and Fred ventured into the bathroom.

"Toilets or sinks first?" asked Fred.

"How about you take toilets and I'll do sinks," suggested George.

"Fat chance," answered Fred.

"How about we get the worst over with first? You have the toilet bowl cleaner?"

"Right here," answered Fred brandishing it from his bucket of cleaning supplies.

By the time the twins had reached the third floor bathrooms, avoiding Myrtle's bathroom, Fred sighed, "This is not worth a piece of parchment that insults people."

"I'm inclined to agree," exasperated George throwing a sponge into a nearby bucket.

"Midnight, three floors done not bad," broke in Filch, "I guess the elves can manage from here."

Fred and George looked to one another in surprise.

Knowing what the twins were thinking, Filch answered their question, "Dumbeldore insists that you have a decent nights sleep, especially the night before classes." Filch continued to grumble under his breath as he turned to leave the bathroom, he ended up mentioning how he would have made them work all night or better yet hung them by their toe nails.

"Thank Merlin that's over!" cried George tearing his gloves off with Fred following suit.

The flowing morning the twins begrudgingly got up and went to Potions. They took their normal seat next to Lee.

"I forgot parchment, lend me some," requested Lee leaning over to George.

George reached into his pocket and pulled out some parchment and handed it over to Lee.

After a few moments Lee sarcastically whispered, "Ha-ha, very funny, giving me parchment that can't be written on."

Fred and George exchanged confused looks as Lee pulled out his wand to try and un-break the spell.

"Reveal you magic," ordered Lee.

Immediately the tidy scrawl that Fred and George had come to know appeared on the parchment.

Mr. Wormtail regrets to inform Mr. Lee Jordan that there is no magic to reveal 

_Mr. Mooney would appreciated it if Lee Jordan would keep is wand where it belongs, up his nose_

Fred and George began to snigger at Mooney's insult as the parchment continued:

Mr. Prongs agrees with Mr. Mooney and thinks that the wand up Mr. Lee Jordan's nose would improve his looks

Mr. Padfood asks how can you can you improve such rotten looks as that of Lee Jordan's?

Lee sat for a moment mouth agape. After he got over his initial shock and surprise he asked, "Zonko's product?"

"Actually no," answered Fred taking the parchment.

"Then you made it?" asked Lee with excitement.

"Well, you see," began George pulling out his wand. He was going to show Lee that the parchment would insult everyone including himself.

"What's this?" demanded Snape making his way over to Fred and Georges table, "Three you Gryffindors not doing their work?"

"Well, um – " stumbled George being unable to find his tounge.

"That will be 10 points each from Gryffindor for not doing your work, and I expect two extra copies of your notes and homework by next class."

Snape then turned back for the front of the room. While Snape's back was turned George mumbled, "Snape is nothing but a greasy git."

When George said that his hand and wand had been resting on the parchment. It came to life the moment George mad his statement.

"Hey Fred, look," George pointed when he saw the map come to life.

Mr. Wormtail is glad to see that the Weasley twin George agrees.

Mr. Mooney would like to congratulate George for making such an astute observation

Mr. Padfoot reminds Mr. George Weasley that be forgot to mention that Severus Snape is hook nosed as well

Mr. Prongs consents that George Weasley must have at least half a brain to make such an astute observation of Snape

Fred and George gave each other a look of surprise before they folded up the parchment and put it away.

"Do you believe it?" asked Fred after potions class, "It insulted Snape!"

"I know, there is something to this parchment," agreed George.

"I say we spend the week figuring it out."

"I agree whole heartedly little bro," grinned George.

"Not the little bro thing again!"


	5. Mischief Managed

(**A/N: **This is the last chapter of the fic it has been fun writing it. I hope you all have enjoyed it. Let me know what you think of it in a review.)

"Ah, a spare moment that we can call out own," breathed George stretching once he stepped into the Gryffindor common room.

"Where is that parchment?" demanded Fred.

"Right here," answered George brandishing it.

"How should we start?"

"I don't know, maybe we should just ask it."

Fred taking his brother's advice placed his wand on the parchment and asked, "Can you help us?"

As always a familiar scrawl appeared on the parchment.

Mr. Wormtail asks what kind of help do you need 

_Mr. Prongs reminds Mr. Fred Weasley that this is not an advice column_

_Mr. Padfoot suggest that id Fred Weasley and his twin George are looking for help regarding their looks they are out of luck for we don't take hopeless causes_

_Mr. Mooney informs Fred and George that if they are looking to manage some mischief they need to look no further_

"What do you mean by that?" asked Fred and George in unison.

The parchment replied:

Mr. Mooney observes that the twins are a bit jumpy 

_Mr. Padfoot would like to say that whoever said two brains are better than one was wrong_

_Mr. Prongs dose indeed wonder if the combined brainpower of the twins equals that of one person_

_Mr. Wormtail takes pity upon the Weasley twins and suggests that they figure out a password to find the answer that they seek_

"Password?" demanded Fred and George of each other.

"What kind of password?" asked Fred of the parchment.

The parchment came back with only one word: _Guess_

"Merlin knows it all," tried George.

The parchment came to life with a response of:

Mr. Padfoot asks what do you take us for? Idiots would use a password like that 

_Mr. Mooney does agree that Merlin may know it all, but seconds Mr. Padfood in saying that it is a poor password._

_Mr. Wormtail solemnly swears that the twins will never figure the password out_

_Mr. Prongs advises the twins to try again and to head our advice_

"Head their advice!" cried Fred, "I'm not gong to stick my wand up my arse!"

A few students who were in the common room turned and stared at Fred as he had his fit.

"I think we should move this elsewhere," recommended George.

The twins then took the parchment with them up to the common room. Fortunate for them Lee wasn't there nor was any other boy from their year.

"The parchment said to heed their advice," recounted George.

"Well, I'm not following it!" retorted Fred.

"Think, with me for a second," instructed George, "Heed their advice – I wonder if it has something to do with their words."

"Like insults, or managing mischief?"

"Manage Mischief," tried George.

Mr. Wormtail say not quite 

_Mr. Mooney recommends that the twins remember the phrase in reverse order to help keep our secret a secret_

_Mr. Padfood solemnly swears that the twins Fred and George are blind as bats when it comes to heeding our words_

_Mr. Prongs thinks that the twins are up to no good_

"I think that is the least insulting the parchment has ever been," remarked George.

"Awful cryptic weren't they?" noted Fred in thought. "I solemnly swear to manage mischief."

Mr. Padfood would like to say, Nice try but no cigar 

_Mr. Mooney recommends both Messrs Fred and George to remember what was said earlier_

_Mr. Prongs does credit Messrs Fred and George on having the first part of the password correct_

_Mr. Wormtail reminds the twins that they are up to no good_

"Up to no good?" asked Fred, "does that mean we are completely off on the password?"

"No, it's a clue. I solemnly swear I am up to no good."

The twins waited for a message to appear but none did. Instead that title they had seen a while back appeared and with it much more.

Messrs Mooney, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs 

_are proud to present_

_The Marauder's Map_

"It's a map? Demanded Fred looking over the parchment.

"Not just any map. Look!" pointed George at the moving dots. "Hey there's Dumbeldore!"

"And Filch!"

"Does this passage lead to where I think it does?" asked George pointing to a path that led off of the map towards the general direction of Hogsmead.

It was then that twins knew that their time at Hogwarts would be like none other, and suddenly the prior detentions seemed as if nothing.


End file.
